By the numbers: Small business

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Only 45% of new businesses established in 2004 were still around in 2009.

Story highlights

Three small business tax cut bills were rejected by Congress this week

$7 million is the largest amount of annual receipts a business can have and still be "small"

$87 billion is the potential amount added to the GDP by small business

Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democrat-backed bill that would have extended tax cuts to small businesses.

Both sides indicated the vote was political one -- Democrats said Republicans blocked the bill to cost President Barack Obama political points. Republicans said that the legislation was a campaign stunt and wasn't enough to have any impact on jump-starting the economy.